Wrestlers take fourth at Eastview Tournament

The Bulldogs wrestling team won one of three matches and took fourth place at an eight-team tournament at Eastview High School in Apple Valley on Saturday.

The Bulldogs beat Winona 57-13 but fell to Coon Rapids 37-31 while missing four varsity regulars and to Dassel-Cokato 40-20 while missing five regulars.

Against Winona, Paynesville won the first six weights and the last four, including five forfeits. The Dogs built a 33-0 lead thanks to three forfeits and pins by senior Pat Noonan at 125 and senior Josh Johnson at 130 and a decision by senior Adam Christian at 135.

After Winona won four weights, the Bulldogs, rated #9 in Class AA, closed with four wins of their own. Senior Josh Kerzman started the ending run with a pin at 171, followed by a pin by senior Marty Engen and two more forfeits.

Against Coon Rapids in the semifinals, the Dogs - without four regulars - lost seven of the first nine weights, leading to a 28-9 deficit. The Dogs did win four of the last five weights to make the final 37-31. Coon Rapids, rated #13 in Class AAA, won eight weights, to six for Paynesville.

The Bulldogs had four pins: from junior Matt Kerzman at 145, from Josh Kerzman at 160, from Engen at 215, and from senior Brad Person at 275. They also got a decision from Noonan at 125 and a major decision from junior Pat Utsch at 189.

Against Dassel-Cokato, a section rival rated #14 in Class AA, the Dogs again started slowly, trailing 18-0, 22-7, and 37-10. The Chargers won nine weights to the Dogs' five and finished third. The Dogs wrestled without five varsity regulars.

Winners for Paynesville were Johnson by major decision at 130, freshman Keith Klein by decision at 135, Matt Kerzman by decision at 145, Utsch by fall at 189, and Engen by major decision at 215.

Utsch and Engen were the only undefeated wrestlers for the Dogs in the tournament, each going 3-0.

The Bulldogs wrestled on Tuesday in a triangular against Rocori and Annandale/Maple Lake.

This week, they will wrestle in the conference individual meet on Friday in Sauk Centre. The Dogs, who were undefeated in dual matches in conference, need to finish no worse than fourth to take the overall conference title. The first round of the tournament is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. The championship and third place matches could start around 7 p.m.

Barring a fourth place finish at the conference tournament on Friday, the Bulldogs will host Minnewaska, the south champion, on Saturday night for the overall WCC championship. That match is scheduled for 7 p.m.